Right Time and Place
by Betty BOKOR
Summary: SamDaniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration offworld with unforeseen consequences.
1. Chapter 1

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 1**

The negotiations had been unusually simple. Daniel was extremely satisfied with the agreement he had reached with the people of Saída. They were interested in human advances in polymers and offered medical technology in return that could be modified to be very useful to humans. The Saidans were physiologically more advanced than humans, but the difference was minimal. A research team was waiting for the technology to come to the SGC to start their work.

The day SG-1 was supposed to go back to Saída to finalize the treaty, Jack was on base. He had come with an official "excuse", but Daniel knew him enough to know that he missed his days in Colorado awfully. Daniel thought it could be a good idea to give him a taste of his old job and officially requested him to join SG-1 for the signing of the pact and the subsequent celebration. Jack took a while to "consider" the request and finally agreed, trying to hide how thrilled he was about it. The general and the team were effusively received by the Saidans and the signing of the agreement went as well as the previous negotiations had. After the formalities were all concluded, there was a lavish celebration on the main residence of the government of Saída.

Near midnight, all the Saidan guests started congregating in small groups; it looked as though everyone knew where to assemble. A couple of aides approached Jack and SG-1 and explained that they needed to get ready for the final celebration ritual. Sam was taken with other women and the men were all guided to a different room to be "prepared".

Sam's group of women started walking along a corridor and one by one all the women were led to individual rooms. When Sam entered the room that had been assigned to her, she noticed that it was luxuriously decorated and thought that if she hadn't known for certain that it was actually a room in a building, she would have believed it was an Arabian tent. Long shiny and silky cloths hung from the ceiling and completely covered the view of the walls. Many vibrantly colored pillows were spread around and a considerably sized bed dominated the center of the room. As soon as she noticed the bed, Sam became wary.

"What is this ritual you are talking about?" she asked the young woman that was supposed to help her.

"Just the ordinary Mating Night," the Saidan said uninterestedly.

Sam felt her blood run cold. "Mating Night? What do you mean? I'm not going to mate with anyone," she said firmly.

"Are you married? Are you engaged to be married? Have you been promised to a man?" the woman asked.

"No, but that's not the point. Or maybe that's exactly the point. I'm not engaged so I'm not mating with anyone." Sam felt fury at the surprised face of her aide.

"The Mating Night is only for people without prior engagements. If you were married or about to be, you would not be allowed to participate. Because you are free, then it would be an offense to our ancestral traditions not to do it. Are you in a fertility period?"

Sam thought the intended target of the Mating Night probably would be to procreate and immediately tried to take herself out of the eligibility pool. "No, not at all. I would not be able to conceive at all," she said with resolve.

"Great. That makes you a perfect candidate. The tradition doesn't allow for unwanted pregnancies that could jeopardize the future of the participants. This is just a celebration. The physical joining is one more way to show our joy at the good events of the day."

Sam sat on the edge of the bed and sighed defeated. What would be the men doing? Would there be any way to contact Daniel and ask how to politely refuse without creating an interplanetary incident? "Can I talk to my teammates before this?" she asked.

"They are being prepared for the ceremony, too, but in consideration of you being from another culture, you could choose from your men before our women select them."

"Excuse me?" Sam asked, completely at a loss.

"Women choose among the available men. You are allowed to choose between the men from your planet before any of our women has the right to pick one of them. In any case, you must hurry. Soon, every woman will share your right."

Sam had to decide fast what she would do. It certainly looked better to select one of her teammates than to have to face an unknown man. She tried to run them through her mind. First, she decided against Teal'c. He had looked very interested in a nightlong conversation with a native woman. Gorgeous woman, Sam thought. If the lady had the right to choose, she would probably prefer Teal'c. Besides, her relationship with Teal'c was perfect as it was; no point in adding other aspects to the mix.

Second, she rejected the idea of choosing Cameron. She had known him since her Academy days, but there had never been anything else than camaraderie between them. Now that he was in SG-1, their friendship was deepening, though not to the point of a physical relationship.

She was left with Daniel and Jack. Jack had been in her imagination for years and she had hoped that after moving to D.C. he would try to make something out of years of flirting and innuendo. However, nothing had happened. She was not sure that to choose him would help the situation in any way. Perhaps she would be forcing him into something he had never actually wanted.

On the other hand, Daniel was her best friend. They knew each other's secrets and shared most of their lives. Yet, sex had never been part of the equation.

Her thoughts were brusquely interrupted by the young woman, who had been setting up some attire on top of the bed. "You must decide now. If you have no favorite, we will choose a nice man for you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Right Time and Place **by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 2**

"Daniel," she said without thinking any more. "The one with the glasses," she added when the woman seemed not sure of whom she was talking about.

"Perfect; he'll be brought to you as soon as you are both ready. Please, change into the ceremonial garments and I will pick up your clothes to be washed during the night. You will find them back on the bench outside this door, along with his clothes, in the morning."

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"Hello?" The door had opened and someone had entered silently. Then she heard Daniel's voice.

"Daniel?"

"Sam? Is that you?" The room was only lit by a cluster of candles to the right. They were encased in a protective structure that, Daniel thought, ensured none of the pieces of fabric hanging from the roof could catch fire, but also diminished the light they gave. "Where are you?" he asked trying to focus.

"On the bed. I cannot get out of here. This _gown_ is rather see-through."

"Well, I'm not doing much better," Daniel said and Sam noticed how he was dressed as he approached the bed. She immediately remembered the "Tarzan" series on TV from her childhood, where Ron Ely sported a scanty outfit. Daniel's seemed even smaller.

"I'd say that you need to get under the covers, too. This room is quite cold and the bed is big enough for both."

"All right," Daniel agreed and slowly got into bed on the side opposite Sam's.

"Did they explain this to you?" Sam asked.

"Not until they put the four of us in that room." He sighed. "I'm sure any of you would have picked up something if I had missed it. They didn't say a word about this until now."

"Yeah. I didn't know either. You're right."

"Jack was pretty mad."

"Well, he wanted a taste of his old life…" Sam said with a smile. Daniel chuckled. "Do you think they are monitoring us in any way? That they would check if we are complying with the _Mating Night_?" Sam asked shyly.

"No, I asked about it. I was told that 'such a thing would be considered a breach of etiquette' because they were certain that everybody wanted to celebrate and give a good start to the treaty."

"Do you think they would know if we don't-"

"No, I don't think they would notice the difference." Sam sighed with relief. "In any case," Daniel added, "thank you."

"Why?"

"For choosing me. If you hadn't, I'd be out there with one of the ladies of this planet."

Sam realized he was right. Her other teammates were at that very moment with women who were ready to continue the celebration. "So Cam, Teal'c, and Jack…?"

"Yep, they're probably following the ritual. I don't believe the ladies that chose them had other ideas in mind."

This time Sam chuckled. Jack deserved a taste of the medicine that Daniel had always had to endure. "I thought that if I chose you and we had to do it-"

"Yeah, I know. It would have been less traumatic, less damaging. You and I, we can work anything out between us, even that."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Sam, who had been on her back, turned sideways to be able to look at Daniel face to face. "I think you're right. Besides, I believe you've already had more than your quota of crazy alien ladies," she smiled.

"Well, if we count Hathor, Shyla, Ke'ra, well, Linnea-"

"Don't forget Anise; she told Jack she liked you-"

"But Freya preferred him," Daniel smiled.

"Osiris," Sam added.

"Well, it looked like a woman, but-"

"I thought Goa'ulds had no gender."

"Yeah, that's right. I should add Amounet; she made the most damage…" he trailed off.

"Oma Desala made you suffer, too," Sam said.

"It was not her fault. She tried and she actually helped me. I wouldn't be here without her."

"I'll always thank her for that," Sam said squeezing his arm under the covers. "Oh, let's not forget the star of them all," she added changing her tone.

"Replicarter?" Daniel asked shyly.

"Oh, I hadn't thought of her. She actually killed you; that makes her the worst," Sam said as she repositioned herself on her back.

"Sam, that is not your fault. We have talked about it. Besides, you were talking about someone else."

"She's pretty good, compared to the others."

"Who?"

"Vala."

Daniel laughed softly. "She's not that bad. She just knows how to exasperate me."

"I don't know why, but she makes me feel jealous."

"You don't have any reason to feel jealous. You are bright and you have an amazing career. You are as beautiful as she is… more beautiful actually. You're softer, more feminine."

"More feminine?" she turned sideways again. "She throws her feminine side at you."

"She's had a pretty rough life. It's the only way she knows. It's self-protective."

"Protective," she dismissed it with a sigh. "_You_'re protective of her."

"Is that what bothers you?"

"No!… Maybe. I don't know. It feels like she's gotten deeper into you in a few months than I have in all these years."

Daniel stretched his hand and grabbed hers. "You're my best friend, Sam. There's nobody closer to me than you, not even Jack now."

Sam patted his hand and then let it go. "We shouldn't forget that the most important woman in your life was an alien, too."

"Sha're is _one _of the most important women in my life. She was extraordinary, but I only had a year with her. My mother was very important, too. Catherine Langford had a great influence on me; even Sarah changed me in many ways. _You_ are still here for me," he smiled. "Janet was a great friend; Cassie is almost like a daughter to me. And I owe much to Leda Kane…"

Daniel was lost in thought. Sam felt jealous again, but couldn't explain why to herself. "I miss Janet so much," she interrupted his thoughts. "She was always there when I needed another girl to understand me."

"I don't do that well, eh?" he joked.

"Well, mostly you were the reason why I needed a girl to talk to."

"Why?" he asked very surprised.

"Well, the first time was when we thought you were dead in Oannes. Then, when Ma'chello took your body, or when you got yourself radiation poisoning and ascended…"

"And you needed to talk about that with a woman because…?"

"Because men around here do not grieve; they just keep going. Military mindset. Janet felt the same way I did."

"I see."

He settled on his back and was reflecting on what she had said when she suddenly said, "I can't believe I tried to kiss Colonel O'Neill when I was _touched_,".

Daniel was confused by the non sequitur. "Eh?"

"I mean, at that point, I still liked you," Sam said and it sounded to Daniel that she was not actually talking to him, but to herself.

"You _liked_ me?"

"Oh!" She realized she had been talking out loud. "I mean, the truth, ah, well… The truth is I had something like a crush on you in those days."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously, since the day I met you in Abydos, but out of respect for Sha're and the love you felt for her…"

"Thank you," he said in an expressive tone.

"Don't need to thank me; you've always been an exceptional man."

"Thank you, again," he added softly. There was an uncomfortable silence and Daniel decided to change the tone of the conversation. "You know that some people at the SGC think that we're together?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 3**

"Together as in a couple?"

"Yep."

"How do you know? I mean, sometimes I hear some rumors, but-"

"Too many hours in a bed in the Infirmary faking sleeping to avoid being poked with more needles."

Sam laughed. "What else do they think?"

"Let's see. About you, most people think that you've been with Jack forever, almost from the beginning. They have a catalog of moments when they noticed a _sign_." Sam couldn't stop a burst of laugh. "Then, there's a smaller group that puts _us_ together, 'the science twins' I heard them call us once." Sam laughed again. "And finally there are smaller groups that have paired you up with Teal'c, Walter Harriman, Paul Davis, even Jonas Quinn. Lately, they've added Cameron. There are also some Pete die-hard fans, and people who would have loved to see you with Martouf."

Sam sighed at the fond memory of Martouf. "Well, what do they think about you?" she asked.

"As I said, there's _us_, now there's Vala with me, then there are small factions that see me with Teal'c-"

"Teal'c?"

"Yep, and Paul Davis, too, and Jonas, and Cameron, and-"

"Are you serious competition for me?" she joked.

"Only in two fronts. I think there are more people that imagined me with Janet than you with her; but then there are also those who thought Janet was with Jack." Sam was amazed; she had heard things, but this was too much. "However, you'd have a very bad time convincing many people of the Sam-Jack thing if they belong to the Jack-Daniel fan club," he smiled.

"Jack and you? You're serious?"

"Oh, yeah, it's a very numerous group. Every time I woke up in the infirmary and Jack was holding my hand, I could see the smiles in some of the nurses' faces."

"We've all held your hand, Daniel. Even Teal'c."

"Thus making the respective fans happy,"

"Wow."

"What I still don't understand is why people could believe that Jack would abandon a long life of heterosexuality for me. I mean, many already think I'm homosexual, but Jack?"

"Does it bother you what others think?"

"No. I think sexual preferences are something very personal and I respect them all. I don't think they make any difference as to who you are. I don't care what anyone thinks of me. Jack and I had a very close relationship, especially in the past, in the first years after Abydos. Something changed later and I still don't know what, but if it makes people happy to think we were together, I don't care. As long as it didn't hurt his career."

"Do you think the rumors about Jack and me hurt mine?" Sam asked.

"I don't think so. You've proven yourself beyond any rumor. Your career is going great and that won't change."

"I hope."

"I'm certain," Daniel replied with conviction.

"Well, this surely is an interesting night," Sam said changing positions again.

"Yeah, but it won't be among our best dates ever, eh?"

"How would your best date go?" Sam wanted to know.

"I like the idea of cooking for someone I care about, spending time fixing the meal before she gets there, thinking about the possibilities, playing the night in my mind."

"That sounds good. I was thinking that I'd like to be taken to a nice restaurant for dinner, but your idea sounds better, to have someone cooking for you, thinking of you while they do it… I cannot cook; you know that. It seems to me like such a special gesture that someone can spend time doing it for me. What would you fix?"

"Let's see. I would start with cantaloupe and prosciutto, as an appetizer. I love the mix of the sweet flavor of the melon with the salty taste of the ham."

"I've never tried that. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever tried prosciutto."

"You have to try it. I'll fix some and I'll invite you. You can also try fresh figs with brie, another awesome combination."

"We should stop ordering take-out and let you cook more often," Sam laughed. "What else would you fix?"

"Maybe a good grilled fillet mignon, with no sauce, just salt and the pure flavor of the meat, and a good salad to go with it, lettuce, tomato, corn oil, all very soft not to interfere with the taste of the beef."

"I'm already hungry. What do you have for dessert?"

"Something very sweet, with a good glass of champagne. It could be pumpkin cubes in syrup-"

"Where would you get that?"

"There are some specialty stores, that bring foreign foods. You then put Chantilly cream –very sweet milk cream– on them and you have an intriguing flavor."

"You have to promise me that you will fix that for me. You owe me after I chose you tonight," she joked.

"It's a deal. When we go back home, I'll cook for you. Now, you have to tell me about your best imaginary date."

"Well, I've changed to the home cooked meal now. Then, you know what? I'd like men to be more formal once in a while. They take you out to dinner on the same jeans they wear all week. I love men in tuxedos. They look _finished_, different than their daily selves."

"One of my foster mothers used that term, _finished_. She used it to teach her teenage daughter how to get ready to go out on a date or to a serious meeting. She wanted the right combination of clothes and shoes, even handbags. Then, there was the light make-up and the right accessories. I was near eleven and I thought the whole thing was kind of scary. I surely hoped I wouldn't have to go through that to go out on a date. Then you grow up and find out that shaving every day is even worse."

Sam smiled. "At least you don't have to wax your legs."

"Ouch! Don't want to think about that!"

"Tell _me_!" They both laughed.

"Going back to our conversation," Daniel said as he stopped laughing, "you're right. Formal dressing is appealing to me, too. The idea that someone took extra care and considered the night special. That black evening gown you wore at the dinner with the President the last time, that is a perfect outfit. Elegant, feminine, not too revealing-"

"You noticed?"

"It was hard not to notice, Sam. You looked wonderful."

"Thank you!" she said with a smile and patting his arm.

"As you said before, no need to thank me. It's the truth."

"I'm not used to compliments like that. Most of the time I have to wear my uniform."

"Well, I'm glad I have the chance to see you without it now and then." When he noticed how it had sounded he hastily added, "I mean, wearing something different." Sam chuckled and he was sure that both of them were blushed deeply.

"I understand, Daniel. The truth is you are a very good looking man, too, and I notice you the same way you notice me."

"But you probably don't have inappropriate thoughts-" He sighed, "I did it again, eh? I'm sorry."

"Hey, I do too. Now and then. I can't help it. We're so close all the time-"

"I know."

"Like now," she said shyly. "We're here alone, and it's hard not to think how close you are and how not very dressed you are," she smiled softly.

"Seriously?" She nodded. "Well, if it's confession time, I'll have to admit the appearance of your nightgown has me very intrigued," he said with some remorse.

"The whole situation creates the effect," Sam offered.

"Yeah, but I've thought that if we ever went beyond what we have now, we wouldn't do it just because some aliens made us do it. We would do it because it was what we wanted and had planned for it to happen."

"You've thought about it, too?"

"Does it surprise you?"

"No, not really, now that you said it. Actually I've been feeling kind of jealous of other women close to you."

"Really? I think I felt that way with Pete. Jack, I would have survived. I care too much about both of you, but Pete, he definitely got me deep. That day when you accepted his proposal and I had just been zatted, I felt completely betrayed."

"I'm sorry."

"For goodness sake, Sam! It was not your fault. There was nothing between us that could warrant my feelings of betrayal. It was all in my mind and that's when I started thinking. It reminded me of all the feelings that had rushed through me when I fist saw you on Vis Uban."

"That's why you asked me that question?"

"Yeah. I had the feelings and no memories to tie them to."

"Well, now we can decide what to do on our own. Are we still up for that dinner when we go back?"

"Sure. Would you wear your black dress?

"If you'd find your tuxedo."

"Done. It's a date. Tomorrow after work, at my house."

"Sounds good! Let's try and have some sleep now. Good night, Daniel."

"Good night, Sam."

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"Ah, you cannot tell me that, Danny-boy. You can't tell me that you spent the whole night with Carter, both dressed as you were, we all were, and nothing happened."

"Nothing happened, Jack. Why would I lie to you? We talked most of the night."

"I was not given a chance to talk," Jack replied with sarcasm.

"You were not spending the night with your best friend. If you had been with me, nothing would have happened either," Daniel said trying to look serious.

"Very funny, Spacemonkey."

Just then, Sam approached the door of Daniel's office and said, "I'm going home, now. I have to prepare for tonight."

"What's tonight, Carter?" Jack asked turning around to face her.

"A scientific departments' heads meeting, Jack. Would you like to join us?" Daniel said from behind him.

"I'm afraid I'll have to miss such an interesting occasion." Jack answered. "I have a plane to catch in less than three hours."

"Okay, sir. I hope you have a good trip."

"Good bye, Carter. See you next time."

"Who are the heads of the departments?" Jack asked as soon as Sam had left.

"Well, Sam is the head of the Technological Research and the Wormhole Physics Departments. Doctor Lee heads the team for Newly Acquired Technologies. Doctor Lam is in charge of the Medical Team and Doctor Warner heads the Surgical Team under her command. Doctor Brightman takes care of the Biological Research Team. I'm in charge of the Departments of Historical Research and Linguistics. Nyan heads the Archeological Team under my-"

"Stop, that's enough! I'm sorry I asked. Should have read the memo about that. Are they all meeting tonight?"

"No, only a couple."

"Great. I hope you have fun. I'm going to take a long shower and then I'm on my way. See ya!"

Daniel said good-bye to Jack, turned off the lights, and locked his office. He had some shopping to do. After all, good filet mignon and fresh figs are sometimes hard to find.


	4. Chapter 4

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 4**

Daniel finished his last touches on the appetizers and went back to getting dressed. He had avoided wearing his formal clothes until the last minute for fear of staining them while cooking. Now, he had to hurry up. Sam was going to be there soon and he needed to be perfect by then. He was not sure if the date would work out; there were too many unknowns. Before this week he had never seriously contemplated taking his relationship with Sam down this path. Stray thoughts? Definitely. Interest? Yes, he was sure now. Planning for it? Not at all. He had started setting up a series of scenarios and strategies in his mind to handle the date, when the bell rang. He swiftly left the bathroom and approached the door. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that this was Sam, his best friend, the same one who had been at his house hundreds of times and shared dinner with him even more often. Deep inside he knew this was different, anyway.

He opened the door and smiled at Sam. She looked breathtaking, but he knew she would. She could be awe-inspiring even in the middle of a battle, covered in mud and yelling commands. It was the beauty he could see coming from inside, the passion, the strength, the caring. He invited her in with a broad smile and helped her with her coat.

"Yep, I was right."

"What?" Sam asked with a little fear in her tone.

"That dress. It's the dress. You even look beautiful in it. I wouldn't have recognized you-" he said with mocked seriousness. She tapped his arm with her purse and he faked pain. "Ouch! All right. You always look beautiful; I concede it. I just didn't want to give you an advantage from the very beginning."

"I don't think it's an advantage. You look beautiful, too, and the tuxedo is just an enhancement." Sam said smiling.

"Beautiful?" Daniel said with a teasing offended tone. "What about handsome, good-looking, striking, gorgeous maybe? Why beautiful?"

"You have to face it, Daniel. You're the beautiful type." She moved slightly to be face to face with him. She reached his face and moved his glasses on top of his hair. She looked appreciatively at him and said with an approving tone, "Just beautiful."

Daniel knew he was blushing, but he also knew that the moment was so intense that he couldn't break it with a silly joke to stop his embarrassment. Nevertheless, he had to break it; it was way too early in the night to be there. He kept his eyes firmly on Sam's and said very softly, "Well, there's a striking piece of filet-mignon waiting for us. We shouldn't make it wait any longer."

The atmosphere changed immediately and Sam relaxed. Daniel put his glasses back down and grabbed her hand. "Now, ma'am, you sit here," he said as he directed her to a chair in the formal dining room, "and wait for a second. The meal is almost ready."

While Daniel was gone to the kitchen, Sam contemplated the room. She was surprised at how much work Daniel had done in the short time he had had since coming from the base. There was a delicate hand-embroidered tablecloth on the table that Sam assumed Daniel had inherited from his parents. She still wondered how he managed to keep some of those things after having been declared dead so many times. She was certain General O'Neill had had a hand in it.

Then she noticed that there were fresh flowers in a short vase in the center of the table. The colors of the flowers played beautifully with the colors of the tablecloth and the china. They were so used to eating on paper or plastic plates, that she had failed to notice that Daniel could pay attention to that kind of little detail.

There were also two candelabra on the table, but their candles were not lighted. Instead the bright lights of the chandelier above the table cheered the room.

Daniel came back pushing a small serving table. He deftly took the plates off it and served the table. Sam looked at him with surprise.

"Had to work at something during college," Daniel said with a little smile. Then he sat down on his seat and looked at Sam who was waiting for him. "Mm… I didn't know if we should light the candles. I didn't want to overdo it and scare you."

"Candlelight would be perfect," Sam said smiling, too. While Daniel lighted the candles and walked to turn off the chandelier, Sam took a second to reflect on Daniel's thoughtfulness.

During dinner, which followed to the letter the menu that Daniel had imagined on Saída, he made a conscious effort to keep the conversation light and avoid talking about work and the SGC in general. He noticed that Sam was doing the same and he interpreted it as a sign that she shared his point of view and also wanted a SG-free dinner. The problem was that he was not enjoying it. He missed the spark that shone in Sam's eyes when she talked about her latest projects and he missed the depths they reached when they discussed what they knew about the universe that they couldn't share with anyone else. He got up to get the deserts, which had been kept in the kitchen to be fresh when served, and thought about what was failing on their 'date' tonight. He knew something was failing. He had somehow lost his connection with Sam. He felt as he had felt on so many other dates, sitting in front of an intelligent, mature, beautiful woman and not finding a link between the two of them. He suddenly felt afraid that the whole thing could ruin his friendship with Sam and decided that he had to do something before it got to that point. Perhaps Sam and he were only meant to be friends and the idea of trying something different had been a mistake. He had seen sparks flying between Sam and Jack many times and he had thought that he could do the same, but it was not working. Their first minutes in the foyer had lifted his spirits a good deal, but the rest of the dinner had been a failure. Of course, it had been an agreeable dinner and he was satisfied with the way the food had turned out, but there was nothing else.

He went back to the dining room and served the desert. After he sat down, he gave a deep sigh and looked at Sam eye to eye. "I'm sorry, Sam, I can't do this anymore."


	5. Chapter 5

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 5**

"What do you mean?" Sam asked clueless as to what he was talking about.

"This… date. It's not working. I feel like I felt in one of the countless blind dates that Janet fixed for me. This is too impersonal. I don't feel the connection we always seem to have. It's a complete failure for me. I'm sorry."

"Wow. This is such a relief! I thought I was the only one feeling that way. Maybe we have to go back to being best friends."

Daniel felt immense relief, too. He smiled and suggested, "Why don't we grab our plates and go to the living room? We can put on a DVD and watch a movie while we eat."

Sam thought it was a great idea. They picked up their deserts and took them to the living room. They came back and spent a few minutes cleaning up the table and taking what was left to the kitchen. Soon, they were sitting side by side on the carpet against the bottom of the sofa and watching a movie while they ate. They had both lost their shoes and were feeling very comfortable. They talked animatedly as they watched −something Jack had never been able to understand− discussing everything that was going on with their lives and the universe, too. Near midnight, they were both completely relaxed and having a great time.

There was one fig left on the bowl they had brought from the dining room and Daniel distractedly took it while he was commenting on their second movie. Sam looked at him in disbelief. He never ate the last anything; he always left it just in case someone else wanted it. She felt mischievous and decided to do something about it. She lifted her hand and snatched the now peeled fig from Daniel's hand.

"Ah, no, mister. The last fig is for the guest."

Daniel was stunned for a second until he saw the playfulness in Sam's expression. "No way," he said as he stole the tender fruit from her hands. "The chef has a right to his own menu." He gave a small bite to the fruit and Sam smiled naughtily right before she tickled him with one hand and grabbed the rest of the fruit with the other. She quickly put it in her mouth and chewed on it.

"You will have to pay for such an offense," Daniel said and grabbed the last glass of champagne left on the table. He knew it was Sam's; he had hardly drunk his first glass and he had never poured himself anymore. Sam had drunk the rest very slowly along the meal and he couldn't see it had had any effects on her. After all, they had finished the formal part of the dinner hours ago.

"Ah, no!" she said as she saw what he was doing, but she was not fast enough. He drank the little liquid left in one gulp. He put the glass back on the table and looked at her with a smug expression. "I'll kick your but for that!" she said trying to contain the laughter and she pushed him on the floor and tickled him again.

Daniel had not been a weakling for a long time now and he proved it as he used his years of training and quickly subdued her. She was now lying on her back on the floor and he was right on top of her, holding her hands as she fought for control, both laughing loudly. She moved her knee slightly and hit him softly between his legs, not enough to hurt him, but enough to make him fall by her side and stop the struggle, She quickly rose on top of him and said, "There you go. Now you know not to mess with a lady." Daniel had his eyes closed tightly and Sam suddenly thought he was in pain. She released her hold on him and started apologizing. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't do it too strong-" She was cut in the middle by Daniel who took advantage of her distress and reversed the situation, but this time he made sure to have his lower body out of the reach of her knees.

"Gotcha!" he smiled.

"I can't believe it!" Sam said, containing her laugh, "Taking advantage of a poor-" she stopped herself when she noticed that Daniel's face had become suddenly serious. "What? Are you all right?"

"This," he said. "This is how I had imagined it would end up a date with you."

"With me on the floor and you on top of me?"

"No! Well, yes. No! I mean, not exactly." Sam smiled because she knew she had caused him to blush deeply. "Having fun, sharing a good time. I'm sorry." He sat up on the floor by her side and helped her sit up too. "It's my fault. I tried all dinner long to talk about something else, to avoid our problems and our jobs, and everything that could ruin the mood, but it was not us. This is the right mood. We've been talking about all those things for the last hours and we are still fine. This is who we are. We face all that daily, we discuss it, we solve as much as we can, and then we can take a minute and have fun, in spite of everything… This is what I like about you. Your passion for what you do, your brightness, your fun side. I don't need light conversation. Even naquadah reactors are light if they come from you."

"That's very flattering, Daniel," Sam said also seriously. "I think I was trying to do the same. I was putting the same façade, just as I do in every date, when I'm forbidden to talk about what I really do or what I really know. Maybe that's why it fails with everybody else, too. That's not me."

"Well, I'm glad we stopped behaving so silly. The second part of the night was far better."

"Yeah, but the food was awesome all the way." She patted his hand and he smiled. She got serious again and added, "Would you consider repeating this in… let's say, a week? Next Friday?"

"We'll be ourselves?"

"Promise," she smiled. "And I have a midnight-blue dress that's even better than this."

"Well, I can always wear a different shirt with this tuxedo," he said jokingly. Sam smiled and Daniel felt that everything was right again. "I've already planned the menu, but it's going to be a surprise."

"I'll be looking forward it all week," she replied. She started getting up and he did the same and helped her. He brought her the coat he had hung for her while she picked up her purse and put her shoes back on.

"Are you sure you want to drive?"

"It's not that late and I feel fine. We didn't drink much, especially you," she said smiling. "I'll see you on Monday." She approached the front door and Daniel followed her. She opened the door and turned around to smile at him again and Daniel got closer and kissed her very softly and briefly on the lips. She was surprised, but she was not upset. She smiled at him again and then ran down the front steps and got into her car. As she drove down the street, she saw Daniel slowly closing his door.


	6. Chapter 6

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 6**

They couldn't talk much during the following week. Their mission almost resulted in disaster. Teal'c was injured and they all barely made it back alive the following Sunday. After checking that Teal'c's injuries where not severe enough to land him in the Infirmary for the night, Sam and Daniel were sent home.

On their way out of the Infirmary, Sam suddenly said, "We missed our date!"

"Yeah, I was thinking about that. Perhaps we should reschedule it for next Friday. We're in no shape to try it tonight."

"You're right," Sam said with a smile, looking at her mud-covered boots. "I just need to take a good shower, eat something warm and sleep for the next three days."

"Well, the showers are yours. I'm sure Cam is out already and Teal'c is not here yet. I'll wait for him."

Sam agreed and went to have her shower first. When she was leaving the locker room, she saw Daniel coming in.

"Hey, Sam. I was thinking. Would you like to come home with me tonight? It's closer and I can make something to eat fast, maybe some warm sandwiches. You can have my room and I'll sleep in the sofa bed."

Sam thought about it for a second. It was not unusual for the team to crash all in the same house after a bad mission, especially in times of O'Neill, who would take them all home with him like a mother hen.

"What about Cam and Teal'c?"

"I already asked. They both just want to go to sleep. I need to unwind a little before that. I don't think I can go to bed just yet. Too many things happened this week."

She certainly could relate to that. She had been unable to think of much else during her shower. "Okay. I'll be waiting in my lab. Call me when you're ready."

An hour later they were in Daniel's house. They found Sam clothes to wear to sleep and Daniel prepared his sofa bed in the den. While she was finishing adding pillows and blankets for Daniel, he went to the kitchen and fixed a quick dinner. They sat on the sofa bed and ate silently while they watched a DVD. They were both so tired that they fell asleep during the movie. When Sam woke up the next morning, she was still propped against the pillows, an empty plate by her side. Her neck hurt because of the uncomfortable position she had slept in, so she slid down. From her new position it was easier to look at Daniel, also leaning against the pillows with his glasses still on. She felt the need to touch him, or at least to take his glasses off, but she was afraid to wake him up. She was enjoying the moment and there was something magical about it. She suddenly realized that, if they both shared the same feelings, this could be a permanent arrangement and she would wake up every morning by his side.

She suddenly felt fearful that she was not up to it. She remembered very little about Daniel's wife, Sha're, because he had never talked much about her. Sam knew he talked about her with the general, but she was also certain that it still hurt too much. In any case, what had stuck in Sam's mind had been the possessive and passionate kiss she had given Daniel in front of everybody. What if Sam was not passionate enough for Daniel's taste? What if the years in the military and her chosen profession in the exact sciences had made her cold and dispassionate? He was into social sciences, which imply by definition a relationship with other people, an interest in humanity and society that she had never cultivated until she met him and started going through the gate with him. His enthusiasm had been contagious.

And what if he discovered that she had null home-making abilities, or, actually, no interest in wasting her time in them? She hated the idea that no matter how much she cleaned and fixed her house, by the time she was back from the next mission, everything was covered in dust again. Maybe if they ever had a family of their own and she could spend more time at home, it would be all worth it. The idea of baking cookies had certainly more appeal if you imagined a bunch of kids waiting anxiously for you to finish them. She had felt that need when Cassie had come to the planet. Now she was feeling it again, thinking of the possibility of having children with Daniel. Wow! Having children? That had been a little too fast. They hadn't even managed a couple of decent dates yet.

Right then, Daniel woke up. "Hey, good morning," he said sliding down by her side.

"Does your neck hurt, too?" Sam asked with a smile as he raised a hand to the back of his head.

"Yeah. You slept against the back, too?" She nodded. "Well, we **were** tired," he said. "Nice change not to be alone in the morning. Feels good to have someone to talk to and not being on the floor in a camp," he said getting up slowly. "I'll take the bathroom first, if you don't mind, and then I'll fix some breakfast while you have it. Or you can use the other one upstairs."

"No, that's fine. Are you sure that you don't want me to try with the breakfast?"

"No," he said as he walked up the stairs. "You're my guest. Besides, I enjoy doing it."

After breakfast, Daniel drove Sam to her house. He went back home and started cleaning up the den; he had refused to let Sam help him with that. While he was picking up, he found a lipstick on the floor that had obviously fallen from Sam's handbag. He sat on the sofa for a minute with the stick in his hand thinking of Sam. It had truly been nice to wake up beside her. He had felt the desire to stretch out his hand and bring her close to him. He would have been content just to be allowed to hold her tight, smelling the shampoo on her hair, and feeling her heartbeat against his chest. When had he started to feel this way about Sam? It certainly had been recent. Probably after Jack had left for D.C. and Sam hadn't followed as many had expected. That had been the moment when he had given himself a chance to look at Sam with new eyes. As for how things were going, it seemed that she was looking in a different way at him, too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 7**

The following week was far better than the last one had been. Their mission went well and they came back before they expected. Landry, satisfied with their positive results, allowed them to take Friday off. Daniel spent the whole morning shopping. He wanted his dinner for Sam to be even better than the one he had prepared for their first date. Sam spent the morning playing with her hair, trying to make it look different.

"Hey," Sam said as Daniel opened the door to let her in that evening.

"This time you were right, Sam," Daniel said seriously.

"What now?" she asked expecting another joke from him.

"This dress is even better than the black one. You're simply stunning. I should have taken you out to dinner, somewhere where men would have fallen around me, dying of jealousy," he finished with a smile.

"Where do you get those ideas from? I almost thought you were serious this time."

"I am. I'm very serious, Sam. I may have thought it was incorrect to tell you all these years, but I've always thought that you were an extremely beautiful woman, even in fatigues," he said as he guided her to the dining room.

"Thank you, Daniel."

The dinner was as delicious as the first one Daniel had prepared and Sam enjoyed it very much. They talked about everything that had happened in the last few years and they had serious discussions about politics and religion and lighter ones about their friends and colleagues. By the time they finished their desserts, after a long, long dinner, they were both feeling happy and relaxed. They moved to the den to keep talking.

"This is much better than the last time, isn't it?" Daniel suddenly said.

"Yes. I like that I can talk about anything with you. Leaving aside the specifically technical problems, I've always found that talking to you about something that worries me, always helps me make the right decision. Sometimes, even with the technical stuff."

"Good. I feel the same way about you."

"For the last two weeks I've been thinking about us, you know," Sam suddenly said.

"I have, too," Daniel replied. "What have you thought?"

"I like this. I like being with you. I enjoy spending our free time together, but I'm afraid of taking the next step."

"Next as in…?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know. We don't have much left to share, but mostly I'm afraid of the _'daily'_ thing, the coming home always to each other. What if you get bored with me? What if I'm not up to your expectations? You've been married before; you have a parameter to compare."

"I could never be bored with you. You're one of the brightest minds I've met and you're compassionate and caring. I'd never get tired of being close to you."

"Thank you," she replied with deep emotion in her voice. "That's exactly how I see you. I know Jack has always thought we're crazy when we get into one of our discussions, but I really enjoy them."

"So do I, Sam. I'm sure we'd be fine in that respect. Besides, it's not like we'd have much time to spend outside the base. We don't have it now and it's not getting any better," he sighed.

"Yeah," Sam said and lost herself in thought. "There's one more thing, though," she said after a little while.

"What?"

"The _physical_ part. You and I, you know, we've never had anything in _that_ area," she finished already blushing. "Who knows if it will work out."

"Well, we could try and if it feels too awkward, we just forget about it and keep our friendship as it is."

"Do you promise?"

"What?"

"That if it doesn't work out well, we'll still be friends. I can't afford to lose what we already have."

"I promise. Do you?"

"Yes," she answered very seriously.

"Would you like to try something now or would it make you feel better if we leave it for another day?"

Sam blushed more furiously and had to smile to avoid crying. She really wanted to try it, but she was very afraid of ruining her friendship with Daniel. He was very different from the men she had chosen before. She wasn't sure how he would handle rejection if she didn't enjoy being with him. "Let's get it over with," she finally said.

"That doesn't sound very romantic. Maybe we should leave it for now," Daniel said softly.

"I don't think I'd be less scared," she sighed. "This is so silly. I feel like a teenager that has never been kissed before."

"Sam, if it makes you so uncomfortable, we should let it go, at least for now. It won't be any good to-" He stopped as Sam got up from her armchair and approached him.

"It does feel awkward, Daniel, but I really want to do this right now." She sat by his side on the sofa and faced him. He raised his hands toward her and caressed her face very softly. Sam closed her eyes and tried to relax and enjoy the feeling. She felt Daniel's presence getting closer to her and she shivered in anticipation. He tenderly kissed her forehead and then started kissing the rest of her face. It was like being caressed by his lips. She'd never had anyone be this gentle with her. The few men she'd had in her life had taken a 'fast and furious' approach to their lovemaking. This was completely different and Sam felt all her fears dissipate. She moved closer to Daniel without opening her eyes and put her arms around his neck. He had not kissed her lips yet and she was eagerly looking forward to that moment. She started delicately caressing the nape of his neck and then moved her hands to his hair. The softness of it surprised her and she reveled in its feel. Then Daniel kissed her neck right under her jaw and she shivered more deeply with pleasure. She wasn't expecting to feel this way.

Daniel noticed her shivering and mistook its meaning. "Sam," he said as he stopped kissing her, "you have to tell me if this is making you uncomfortable."

She opened her eyes and looked at his face so close to hers. She moved to feel his cheek against hers and said, "No, please, don't stop. I've never felt this way before. This is delightful."

Daniel hesitated for a second and then went back to his kissing. He was near her shoulder now and Sam suddenly thought that it was terrible that she didn't have her friend Janet anymore. Janet would have been the first one to know what had happened tonight. Janet had always joked about what the nurses imagined Daniel would be like when making love. He was only kissing her and she had already decided that the nurses ideas were not as exaggerated as she had thought. He probably could beat whatever else they had imagined.

All of a sudden Daniel's lips were on top of hers and she slowly opened her mouth to let him in. 'Holy Hannah,' she thought. If he could make her feel like that with a kiss, she couldn't anticipate what would come next.


	8. Chapter 8

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 8**

Daniel finished his kiss and brought Sam to his chest and held her there, hugging her softly, without moving. She could hear his labored breathing and feel the fast beating of his heart. She was feeling the same way. She placed one hand on his chest and followed the soft shape of the lapel of his tuxedo. "I can't believe you're still wearing your jacket," she said with a little chuckle.

"What would be the point of wearing it if you were going to lose the jacket in the first ten minutes? It would ruin the whole effect," he said with a grin.

"Well, the effect has been awesome, but I'd like a little more proximity to you," Sam replied. She opened the first bottom of the jacket and got her hand inside. She left it on top of Daniel's chest, just feeling its soft movement through his shirt.

"I take it that it didn't go so bad then," he said, anxiously awaiting her response.

"I'd say it was…" she hesitated and she felt Daniel's heart's rhythm accelerate slightly, "perfect? Maybe, I'd say _the shortest but most fabulous make-out session I've ever had_?"

"Good. It's been great for me, too," he said with relief. "We could fix the shortness problem, if you want," he added with a smile.

"I'm all for fixing stuff," she replied smiling, too.

Daniel softly separated her from him, took off his jacket and untied his tie, and then brought her back to him and resumed the kissing. "Better now?" he whispered as he gently bit her earlobe.

"Mm, definitely," Sam whispered back.

They kissed until Daniel moved his head backward a little and made her look at him. "Sam, how far do you want to go? I don't want to do something to make you uncomfortable. Put the limits here and I'll follow."

Sam was stunned that he'd asked her. That was also a first for her. The men she knew had a goal in mind and kept going until stopped. She should have expected it from Daniel, but, still, she was amazed.

Daniel saw that she was thinking about it and added, "This is the first time we've done something like this, _together_, I mean. I don't want to ruin it."

"I know, I don't want that either. It's just that it feels so good," she smiled shyly, "that I'm trying to think why we didn't do this before."

"I think we hadn't had the right set of circumstances before. Everything is just falling into place now."

"Yeah, that must be it." She thought for a little while longer and then said, "Would you mind taking a break? We've both drunk more tonight than we did the last time and I don't want to blame this on being impaired. I want to be certain that it was what we both wanted."

"Okay. Maybe we should go to sleep, then. Rest some and tomorrow we'll talk about it and see what happens."

"Sounds good."

"Do you want to go upstairs and I'll stay here?"

"Nah, I trust you. Let's just go lie down on your bed for a while. We can talk some more until we fall asleep. I need to get my heartbeat under control," she joked.

"I hear you," he said with a smile.

He turned off the lights and they walked upstairs holding hands. They got to Daniel's bedroom and he got a comfortable T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants for Sam. She changed in the bathroom and when she was finished, she looked at herself in the mirror. The garments were big and, though she knew Daniel was taller than her, she felt it was a re-discovery of the notion. She hadn't thought of the size of his body related to hers before. It was not the first time she had borrowed clothes from him, but this time it felt different. She shivered inexplicably and attributed it to nervousness. She finally came out of the bathroom and noticed than Daniel was wearing pajamas. She couldn't remember seeing him look so _domestic_. She walked to the bed and lay on top of the covers. Daniel joined her and pulled a blanket from the chair by his side and covered both of them. Sam snuggled against him and put her head on his chest. They talked for a little while about the dinner and after a few minutes they were both asleep. The highly emotional night had been very tiring.

Around three in the morning Sam shifted positions slightly and Daniel woke up. It had been a long time since he had shared his bed and that little movement had completely awakened him. He felt a sudden desire to caress Sam's hair and he thought she wouldn't mind. He raised his left hand and softly touched her head. He let his fingers slide down her hair and enjoyed the new sensation.

"That feels great," a sleepy voice said from under his chin.

"I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"No complaints from here. Keep doing it; it's very soothing."

Daniel chuckled and restarted his motion on her hair. Suddenly Sam got up and sat down by his side on the bed. In the dark room Daniel could only see her silhouette against the faint moonlight coming from the window.

"What?"

"Are you tired?" she asked.

"Tired? No, I'm not tired. Why?"

"Well, maybe we could… resume where we stopped?"

"Are you serious?"

"Well, we could always stop if it doesn't feel right. Would you stop if I ask you?"

"Of course, you know I would. There's a cold shower waiting for me right there, on the left, whenever you want me to stop," he answered in a light-hearted tone.

Sam relaxed. Of course she could trust him. She understood why she felt so terrified of going further with Daniel, but she was certain that he didn't and she didn't want to hurt him, so she tried to explain herself.


	9. Chapter 9

**Right Time and Place** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Jack and SG-1 share a celebration off-world.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Right Time and Place**

**Chapter 9**

"Daniel, I don't want you to think that I've always been this silly about this kind of thing. It's just that, before, I've felt very confident about myself; I'm an independent woman, with a good career, a job that I enjoy and that makes a difference to the world, and I'm not ugly, I know. But with you…"

"With me what?" Daniel asked, truly clueless as to what he could have done to scare her.

"You're my hero, Daniel. You're the man I look up to when I have a moral dilemma. I'm afraid I won't live up to your expectations every day. That you won't like me anymore once we spend more time together and you get to know me better."

"But, Sam, I've made so many mistakes-"

"Not as many as you think and, even when you did something wrong, you had a greater good in mind. You're never selfish."

"Oh, Sam you're so wrong about that! What about the years I spent trying to get revenge against Apophis, eh? Just an example."

"Even then you tried to help his host when he was dying."

"I helped so much," he said with sarcasm in his voice; "we sent him back to be tortured by Sokar."

"We had no choice. If it had depended on you, you wouldn't have done it."

Daniel sat up so that he could face her in the dark. "Sam, I'm not better than you. Now that we've started going on this path, I don't think there's anything that could make me change my mind. I've realized how much I care for you, how much I love you, how I've fallen in love with you without even noticing."

"You think you're in love with me?" Sam asked with surprise.

"I don't think, Sam, I know. It could have taken me all these years to get there, but that's exactly what I feel now. I love you and I want to have a relationship with you. God, I want to have _a life_ with you, but there's no chance that we'll be happy together if you think that way about me. I'm your colleague, I'm your friend, and I'd like to be much more. It only depends on you, now. See me as the normal man I am and maybe we can make it."

"You don't understand, Daniel. It's because you're not a normal man that I –Oh, I never thought this would be so hard to say– I… I think I love you" she let out, as she had been tortured to say it.

"That was rather hard to say. Why Sam?"

"What if you die again and you don't come back this time? I didn't want to fall for you! It was hard enough to lose you when you were just my friend. If I lose you now I would have all these memories of what I could still have and it's gone."

"If I were to lose you, Sam, I'd rather have as many memories of you to brighten my days than to wonder what could have been."

Sam tried to keep her tears from falling, but she couldn't. She just approached Daniel in the dark and kissed him fervorously. A few seconds later she broke the kiss and hugged him fiercely. "I love you, Daniel, I love you so much! I've never felt this way for anyone before. I'm so scared that I cannot even admit it to myself. Please, promise me that you'll think twice before saving another planet and dying!"

Daniel smiled slightly at the passion Sam had put in her words. He was utterly happy and nothing could ruin the moment, but he had to be honest with her. "I don't think that I'll be saving any more planets, but, if it were to happen, I promise I'll think twice. However, I just can't promise that I won't do what I believe has to be done, Sam."

"I wouldn't love you this much if you did," Sam replied and kissed him again. She wasn't afraid anymore. Daniel was right. They had to share as much as they could as long as they had each other. Their jobs were dangerous and there was also a chance that she would be the one not coming back. If Daniel was willing to face the risk with her, she wouldn't stop him any longer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On Saturday afternoon, General Landry was back at the SGC. He had thought Jack was joking when he talked about the mountains of paperwork that gave him nightmares. Now he had the nightmares himself and decided that a good night's sleep was worth coming to the base on a Saturday.

He was working in his office, when someone knocked at his door. He got up and walked to the door, wondering who else would be working on Saturday. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find two members of SG-1 looking at him with shy smiles.

"Hi," Dr. Jackson said. "We checked with the guards upstairs and they said you were here, so we thought we could have a little talk with you."

"Well, come in, come in. Is there anything wrong? Have you discovered another threat to the universe?" he asked as Daniel and Sam sat in front of his desk.

"Actually, no, sir. We're here for a personal matter," Sam explained.

"I see. Well, go ahead, I'm listening."

"Well, you see, General," Daniel started with hesitation, but then resumed his normal fast-speed talking and let all the rest out, "Sam and I, here, we've discovered that we'd like to share our lives, sir. We've fallen in love with each other and we've decided that, considering how many chances we face daily of not coming back, we have to take advantage of any time we have. So, we've planned on getting married and we just wanted to be certain to tell you in advance, so that you could deal with any paperwork or decision-making brought up by this change." He stopped and breathed deeply.

Landry did not look extremely surprised. He had a pensive expression for a short while and then he smiled. "Well, it looks that I should start by congratulating you both. George Hammond filled me in about you two and while he was the commander here, he had a bet in favor of you getting together. It looks that he was betting against heavy odds, but I've always thought that the old man had a good eye for this kind of thing. I don't mean I was actually expecting it, but it doesn't really surprise me, either."

Sam and Daniel felt relieved. "Have you given any thought to what you'd want to do with SG-1?" Daniel asked.

"As long as I'm in charge here, and Jack is at the Pentagon, nobody will do anything with SG-1. You two are adults and I'm certain that you know better than to risk the outcome of a mission for personal reasons. Besides, I've noticed that the original SG-1 had some heavy feelings going around and that didn't impede their job, your job."

"Yes, sir," Sam agreed. We all cared very deeply for each other and we're starting to feel that way about Cameron, too. The more we get to go on missions together, the deeper the links between us grow."

"I understand. Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Well, for reasons of friendship, not for going above your head, general," Daniel explained, "we talked to Jack this morning and then we had breakfast with Teal'c and we told him, too. We also called Cameron and he recommended telling you as soon as possible. I think he was afraid that you would separate his 'newly gathered' team."

"I'm sure he was," Landry said with a smile. "You can call him back and give him the good news."

"Thank you, sir," Sam and Daniel said. Soon thereafter they left the office and the base and drove to Sam's home. They had decided to move Sam to Daniel's house immediately. Many would think they had gone insane and many others would believe they had had a relationship going on for a long time, but they truly didn't care about the opinions of the rest of the world. The support of their friends was plenty enough and the notion of what they shared was sufficient to help them face whatever would come.


End file.
